In brief: Officials consider tax options for newly annexed residents of South Cordova

City officials are exploring whether the city can provide some form of tax relief to the newly annexed residents of South Cordova.

During a Wednesday community meeting in Cordova, several citizens — who became Memphis residents July 1 with little warning — said they could face financial hardships if they had to pay their city tax bills. Taxes are due 60 days after the City Treasurer receives the tax rolls from the Shelby County Assessor. The treasurer is expecting to receive those tax rolls in the next few days. If taxes are not paid within that 60-day period, residents face a penalty and interest for overdue taxes.

Mayor A C Wharton said Friday that if residents of newly-annexed South Cordova do become delinquent on their taxes the city would not send their account to a collection agency or place a lien on the property.

Wharton is mulling whether to ask the General Assembly to approve a tax "grace period" for property owners in a newly annexed area.

NAACP hosts 'This is my Vote' forum

Memphis NAACP will host a candidate forum Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Mt. Olive CME Cathedral on Linden.

NAACP members are invited to attend, and Memphis citizens are encouraged to attend as well.

All candidates are scheduled to make a brief presentation and answer questions after.

The Memphis Cook Convention Center had a surge of visitors Thursday in the South Hall.

More than 1,200 guests were helped by 826 volunteers, city of Memphis spokeswoman Mary Cashiola said.

Part of the mayors' action plan to end homelessness, Thursday's Project Homeless Connect Memphis event provided the homeless with services they might otherwise not have.

The homeless were paired with volunteers when they arrived. They received bags of donated goods and a profile was done on each person seeking help.

"We identify their current services and what they are without," said Katie Kitchin, Community Alliance for the Homeless executive director, on Thursday. "Before they leave, we can have them connected with all the things needed to end their homelessness and get them out of the situations they're in."

Courts

Two gang members convicted in killing

Two members of the Grape Street Crips Gang were convicted Friday of first-degree murder for the shooting death of a fellow gang member in 2009.

Charles Hampton and DeAnthony Perry both were automatically sentenced to life in prison by Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee.

The two men were both 17 when they shot and killed 21-year-old Anthony Jones over an unknown dispute on Oct. 17, 2009, in front of 1592 Cameron in South Memphis, authorities said.

Lawrence Buser

Child sex trafficker earns 27 years

A Memphis man convicted in April of child sex trafficking involving a 15-year-old girl was sentenced Friday to 27 years in federal prison.

Maurice Mabon, 24, advertised the young girl for prostitution through ads placed on a website last year on which he included her photographs in lingerie, federal prosecutors said.

Following his arrest, a search of Mabon's home turned up a handwritten document outlining his long-term goals which included starting an escort service and running a brothel.

U.S. Dist. Judge Jon McCalla sentenced Mabon to a total of 27 years in prison for child sex trafficking and for being a felon in possession of ammunition. There is no parole in the federal system..

TIPTON COUNTY

Sheriff's Office identifies body

A man who drowned in the Mississippi River in Tipton County on Thursday night has been identified.

The Tipton County Sheriff's Office said Friday 28-year-old Ricky Eugene Free of Henning drowned while swimming toward a sandbar in the river near Ballard Slough Road north of John's Boat Dock.

A witness attempted to rescue Free, who TCSO said is also known as Ricky Eugene Watson, but was unsuccessful.